25th April 1916
Dollie’s letters have started to reach Arthur again, after some delay; he reassures her that brother Edouard is fit and well again after a slight touch of flu; fellow officer Henri has gone on leave and Arthur misses his company; a blazing hot ride into town for some essentials.
Arthur to Dollie
France, Tuesday even 9.10
… Thank heaven, I had a letter from your dear self to-day – Saturday’s. Thanks awfully, little one – they mean everything to me…Edouard dear is not ill; you have no reason for anxiety. He had a very slight touch of ‘flu; but now he is about & has been for some days. He is practically absolutely fit again.
I am sending this in a green envelope, dear heart, for it will thus catch to-morrow’s post. Today Beresford & Johnson & Henri left for leave. I am sorry the latter has gone, for we have been together the whole time on this course, sharing the same billet &c, so that naturally I miss him rather.
To-day has been perfectly glorious, dear; not a cloud in the sky & blazing hot. This morning I rode over to the Battalion on some business that kept me till lunch time. So I stayed to lunch & thus received your letter. Henri came up on the same job: we had lunch at my Coy Mess. After lunch we rode in to F-. I bought something to read & one or two odds and ends – shaving soap &c. Sonny Ainsworth came in too (no, dear, he is not engaged!) We had tea & dinner in there – the latter at 6.30 for Henri had to catch his train. Then Sonny and I rode back through the warm dark under a wonderful sky. Its just so ripping to think that though miles of water & land may lie between … yet we are both close together really & that we are both looking at the same old sky, the same old stars…